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2 Sheets$heet 1. L. P. ROSS.

I DESK.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

- L. P. ROSS.

(No Model.)

DESK.

No. 287,475. Patented Oct. 30, 1883.

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' NITED STATES P TENT OrF cE.

LYON P. ROSS, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,475, dated October 30, 1883.

I Application filed February 12, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYON P. Ross, aeitizen of the United States, residing in the city of Rockford, in the county of \Vinnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Office-Desks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to desks designed mainly for office use in the transaction of business, but adapted to, perhaps, all the purposes for which such desks are employed; and the object of this invention is to so improve this class of desks as to render them more convenient in the transaction of business, and to produce such improved desk at a less cost.

To this end I have designed and constructed the desk represented in the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is an isometrical representation of a desk embodying my invention, in which the covers of the desk are represented'in an open position. Fig. 2 is an isometrical representation of a drawer in the upper portion of the case. Fig. 3 is an isometrical representation of the desk, in which one end thereof is removed or omitted. Fig. 4 isa fraginental vertical lengthwise section, showing the locking mechanism. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the inner end portion of one of the drawers in the lower portion of the desk. 7

The portion of this desk below the writingsurface thereof is of the usual pedestal form,

fitted with'drawers, closets, andcentral open ing, in the usual manner.

At A are represented ends, of a form substantially as shown, placed upon the end portions of the writing-table, substantially vcrti cally over the end walls of the pedestal portion of the desk. These ends are joined on their rear by a suitable back, and its rear is provided with an upward-rising portion, B, of box form, fitted with a lid, 0, having a hinge-connection with the vertical back, and its ends are provided with jointed supportinglinks (1, having a hinged connection with the lid and with the end portion of the box, on its inside, in such a manner as to support the lid 0 in an inclined open position, and when the joint is flexed or thrown from the line of its centers will permit the lid to be closed. Immediately in front of this rear box-like portion is formed a portion, D, having in this instance a horizontal shelf-like upper surface 011 the same plane with the bottom of the boxformed portion B, forminga receptacle to receive the folds of a sectional cover to the desk. That portion of the upper section under the box B and the horizontal portion D is pro vided with a series of pigeon-holes or compartments varying in dimensions, and also with a drawer, a, at each end below the pigeon-holes. The end portions, A, form the point of their connection, with thefront-edgeportion of the writing-table inclined rearward and upward at quite an abrupt angle a suitable distanceto the point I), from which to the front edge of the horizontal shelf-likeportionDthey incline at a much less angle.

produced in rabbet form by means of a bat- I Theseinclined portions of the ends A, on their inner upper angle, are

ten,'c, fixed to their inner surface a suitable 1 distance below their upper surface, or'otherwise, forming a rabbet or groove to receive the end portions of a lid to closethe front upper portion of the desk over the writing-table.

At E is represented a folding cover, composed in this instance of the several sections (1, e, f, g, h, and i, of proper width to produce a complete covering for thefront opening over the writing-table. These several sections are hinged to each other and to the frontedge'of the horizontal or shelf-like portion D in such a manner that'in opening they will fold onto the shelf like portion, as shown in Fig. 1, in which folded position the section It stands in an upward and rearward inclined angle, beingsup-. ported in its inclined position by means of the front section, i, being folded over the folded sections (Z e f g in such a manner that the handle k, fixed to its lower outer edge, shall engage the upper surface of the section 5 in its folded position, to cause the front section, i, of the lid to operate as abrace-support to the rearwardly-inclined section h.

The central portion of the front edge of the writing and of the pedestal portion of the desk is fitted, inthe usual manner, with a lock, to engage the front edge of the front fold, a, of

the hinge-jointed lid, to lock the cover in its closed position. v I

At 1 is represented a fillet or strip fixed to the edge portion of the rearwardly-inclined section h, to operate as a foot-support to papers or other articles placed on its inclined surface.

The sides 0 of the several drawers in the pedestal areprovided with a notch, 19, formed in their lower'edge, designed to receive a bolt or stud to lock the drawer when closed. The inner end portions of these several sides are beveled upward from the notch 19, as shown at Figs. 3 and 5.

At 8 is represented alocking-bar rectangular in section, having its ends produced in tenon form to move vertically in guides formed in construct my improved desk-cover with three folds, so joined in their hinged connections as the desk. From the inside of this bar project stud-bolts t, at proper intervals to engage the notches p in the several drawers when the locking-bar is raised to lock the drawers in their closed position.

At t is represented aspiral spring surrounding the lower tenon of the locking-bar, above its lower guide-support, in such a manner that its spring action will operate to hold the bar in its elevated position to lock the drawers when closed.

At a is represented a bar-formed button pivoted on the upper end of the upper tenon on the locking-bar, and at u is represented a groove formed in the lower edge portion of the end A, immediately above the writing-table, into which the end portion of the button ucan be turned when the locking-bar is passed to its lowest position.

From the construction and arrangement of these parts it will be seen that when the locking-bar is free to rise by the action of the spring the stud-bolts will engage the notches in the under edge of the drawer-sides and lock them in their closedposition, and by reason of the inclined inner end portion of the drawersides they are made self-locking when shoved into place. To unlock the drawers it only requires the depression of the locking-bar,

which may be held in its depressed position by means of the bar-like button, pivoted, as hereinbefore stated.

'From the foregoing it will be seen that my improvedlocking mechanism, employed in connection with the drawers in the pedestal portion of the desk, depends for its security as a locking device upon the closing and locking of the desk-lid, which, when closed and locked,

renders my improved drawer-locking mechanism inaccessible and secure.

In the foregoing I have shown and described my improved desk as having the two outer folds, h and z, of the cover so joined in their hinged connections as to fold in the inclined angular position shown in Fig. 1; but Ialso to fold in a horizontal position on the shelf, in the same manner as the several sections d, e, f, and g are shown, which I accomplish by re vex-sing the hinges in the joint-connection of the sections h and i, to cause them to. fold in the opposite direction. I have also described and shown the shelf-like receptacle of the folding cover as being in a horizontal plane; but it may be on a plane inclined at any practical angle.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the pedestal or base portion of the desk, of a case or receptacle formed above the pedestal portion, a shelf formed thereon, and a sectional cover,

constructed of strips hinged together and to the shelf, whereby the same may be folded upon the shelf, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the pedestal portion of the desk, and with the desk-lid provided with asuitable lock to fix it in its closed position, of a locking mechanism for the pedestal-draws, located and constructed substantially as set forth, whereby it may be operated by hand when the desk-lid is opened or thrown back, substantially as described.

LYON P. ROSS. Vitnesses:

A. O. BEHEL, JACOB 31211131.. 

